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Article BENEVOLENCE: ITS EEWAED AND SGUECE. ← Page 7 of 8 →
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Benevolence: Its Eewaed And Sguece.
trust in Almighty God . What would man be—what could he do , without this ? How dark , dismal , and discouraging , are many passages in his eventful life ! How often do disappointments and vexations chafe his spirit and deprive him of rest 1 Sow often is he surrounded with difficulties and enemies , to escape which seems impossible ! In those seasons of doubt and trial , you may tell him to fear God---but perhaps that will only
beget in him a servile fear and a vain superstition . You may instruct him to love God—^ b ut in that perplexing moment he knows not whether he loves the Almighty or not . But tell him to trust in God—that the Architect of the universe is not a malevolent being , but an object of trust—that to trust in him is no sin , but every man ' s duty—and thus you give him confidence , and he resorts to God as a strong tower into which the righteous
run and are safe .. Ebedmelech , doubtless , had vast difficulties to encounter in carrying into effect his benevolent purpose respecting Jeremiah ; but while he felt weak in himself ^ and so incapable of grappling with them successfully , he also felt that he was strong in the Lord , and therefore could exclaim , I will put my trust in the Lord , and will not fear what man can do unto me . "
Brethren , you may depend upon it that the want of benevolence in the world is to be attributed to a want of trust in the living God . For only let a man examine the volume of the sacred law , and he will see scattered up and down therein , almost numberless passages wherein God declares that he will bless men in proportion as they bless others ; that everything done for the needy is done for the Lord ; that if men turn their faces from the poor , the face of the Lord will be turned from them . When , then , men are not benevolent , they furnish the strongest possible proof that they
have no-confidence in the Almighty or his word ; it is ^ in reality , nothing less than infidelity- —the infidelity which disbelieves in the Great Architect of nature , or in that providence which he exercises over the work of his hands . Hence , thus to be unmindful of others , is a great wickedness , and of this there has been allusion made in the first lesson this afternoon . There we find Eliphaz addressing Job under a wrong impression of his characterand ing"Is not thwickedness greatand thine ini
, say , y , - quities infinite ? " Why ? " Because thou hast taken a pledge from thy brother for nought , and stripped the naked of their clothing . Thou hast not given water to the weary to drink , and thou hast withholden bread from the hungry . Thou hast sent widows away empty , and the arms of the fatherless have been broken . Therefore snares are round about thee , and sudden fear troubleth thee . " Now , of all men living , Job was the
very last man to whom this charge was applicable . Why ? Because his trufct in God was remarkable ; so strong , indeed , that he could say , " Though he slay me , yet will I put my trust in him . " And how , my brethren , did this trust display itself ? The twenty-ninth chapter will tell us ; " When the ear heard me , then it blessed me ; and when the eye saw
me it gave witness to me : because I delivered the poor that cried , and the 'fatherless , and him that had none to help him . The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me : and I caused the widow ' s heart to sing with joy . I was eyes to the blind , and feet was I to the lame . I was a father to the poor : and the cause which I knew not I searched out . And I brake the jaws of the wicked , and plucked the spoil out of his teeth . "
Oh , then , my brethren , whatever may be said against us personally , or against that Order to which we belong , let us persevere in our endeavours to be benefactors to mankind . That man is the best Mason who defends our system of morality by his deeds rather than by his words , and upon
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Benevolence: Its Eewaed And Sguece.
trust in Almighty God . What would man be—what could he do , without this ? How dark , dismal , and discouraging , are many passages in his eventful life ! How often do disappointments and vexations chafe his spirit and deprive him of rest 1 Sow often is he surrounded with difficulties and enemies , to escape which seems impossible ! In those seasons of doubt and trial , you may tell him to fear God---but perhaps that will only
beget in him a servile fear and a vain superstition . You may instruct him to love God—^ b ut in that perplexing moment he knows not whether he loves the Almighty or not . But tell him to trust in God—that the Architect of the universe is not a malevolent being , but an object of trust—that to trust in him is no sin , but every man ' s duty—and thus you give him confidence , and he resorts to God as a strong tower into which the righteous
run and are safe .. Ebedmelech , doubtless , had vast difficulties to encounter in carrying into effect his benevolent purpose respecting Jeremiah ; but while he felt weak in himself ^ and so incapable of grappling with them successfully , he also felt that he was strong in the Lord , and therefore could exclaim , I will put my trust in the Lord , and will not fear what man can do unto me . "
Brethren , you may depend upon it that the want of benevolence in the world is to be attributed to a want of trust in the living God . For only let a man examine the volume of the sacred law , and he will see scattered up and down therein , almost numberless passages wherein God declares that he will bless men in proportion as they bless others ; that everything done for the needy is done for the Lord ; that if men turn their faces from the poor , the face of the Lord will be turned from them . When , then , men are not benevolent , they furnish the strongest possible proof that they
have no-confidence in the Almighty or his word ; it is ^ in reality , nothing less than infidelity- —the infidelity which disbelieves in the Great Architect of nature , or in that providence which he exercises over the work of his hands . Hence , thus to be unmindful of others , is a great wickedness , and of this there has been allusion made in the first lesson this afternoon . There we find Eliphaz addressing Job under a wrong impression of his characterand ing"Is not thwickedness greatand thine ini
, say , y , - quities infinite ? " Why ? " Because thou hast taken a pledge from thy brother for nought , and stripped the naked of their clothing . Thou hast not given water to the weary to drink , and thou hast withholden bread from the hungry . Thou hast sent widows away empty , and the arms of the fatherless have been broken . Therefore snares are round about thee , and sudden fear troubleth thee . " Now , of all men living , Job was the
very last man to whom this charge was applicable . Why ? Because his trufct in God was remarkable ; so strong , indeed , that he could say , " Though he slay me , yet will I put my trust in him . " And how , my brethren , did this trust display itself ? The twenty-ninth chapter will tell us ; " When the ear heard me , then it blessed me ; and when the eye saw
me it gave witness to me : because I delivered the poor that cried , and the 'fatherless , and him that had none to help him . The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me : and I caused the widow ' s heart to sing with joy . I was eyes to the blind , and feet was I to the lame . I was a father to the poor : and the cause which I knew not I searched out . And I brake the jaws of the wicked , and plucked the spoil out of his teeth . "
Oh , then , my brethren , whatever may be said against us personally , or against that Order to which we belong , let us persevere in our endeavours to be benefactors to mankind . That man is the best Mason who defends our system of morality by his deeds rather than by his words , and upon